Abstract:

Mortality experiments with zooplankton exposed to oil and dispersant solutions were conducted at Eckerd College (summer 2011; St. Petersburg, FL) and on cruises at stations in the Gulf of Mexico aboard the R/V Weatherbird II (WBII 09-11, WBII 11-11,WBII 05-12,WBII 08-12). Cohen, J.H., L.R. McCormick, and S.M. Burkhardt (2014) Effects of dispersant and oil on survival and swimming activity in a marine copepod. Bulletin of Environmental Contamination and Toxicology 92:381-387. DOI 10.1007/s00128-013-1191-4

Suggested Citation:

Cohen, Jonathan. 2014. Effects of oil and dispersant on marine zooplankton mortality, West Florida Shelf, July 2011 - Aug 2012.. Distributed by: GRIIDC, Harte Research Institute, Texas A&M University–Corpus Christi. doi:10.7266/N7W093VB

Publications:

Cohen, J. H., McCormick, L. R., & Burkhardt, S. M. (2014). Effects of Dispersant and Oil on Survival and Swimming Activity in a Marine Copepod. Bulletin of Environmental Contamination and Toxicology, 92(4), 381–387. doi:10.1007/s00128-013-1191-4

Purpose:

Laboratory experiments and field experiments to assess the impact of oil and dispersants on mortality marine zooplankton.

Data Parameters and Units:

Species [Beroe ovata, Calinectes sapidus megalopae, Candancia paenelongimana, Euphasia sp., Lestrigonus sp., Pontella meadii, Temora turbinata, Labidocera aestiva], Cruise, Date, Station, Experiment, Treatment of Oil and Corexit (mg/L) [Corexit, WAF, CEWAF, FSW], Bottle #, Number of individuals alive or dead after different time periods [Alive 24h, #Dead 24h, #Alive 48h, Total Dead 48h].

Methods:

Surface plankton tows (Eckerd College, Boca Ciega Bay) or oblique plankton tows to a maximum depth of 200 m (Gulf of Mexico, 61 cm bongo net, 333 µm mesh) were conducted throughout the diel period. Following collection, cod ends were diluted and active individuals of the target species identified, then transferred to ambient seawater with large-bore pipettes and acclimated to experimental temperatures (23 °C) for ~8 h in darkness. Following acclimation, actively swimming and physically intact individuals were selected for use in experiments. Water accommodated fractions of oil and dispersant solutions were prepared in 2 L aspirator flasks in darkness according to standard CROSERF as described in Cohen et al. (2014). Oil was Macondo (MC-252) crude oil. Crude oil with dispersant was prepared at nominal concentrations of 1–50 mg oil L-1, with oil loading immediately followed by the dispersant Corexit EC9500A (Nalco Company) at an oil:dispersant ratio of 10:1. 24-h mortality assays (48-h assays with Labidocera aestiva) were conducted with 1-10 individuals per 40 or 125 mL bottle with teflon lined lids devoid of headspace. Bottle size is indicated in data by the bottle number (40-XX = 40 ml bottle, XX=125ml bottle). No food was provided for most species (Artemia provided to L. aestiva).

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